Celebrating Messiah | The Anointed One
Messiah comes from the Hebrew word mashiach, which means “anointed one.” This is why you may have heard Jesus referred to as Yeshua HaMashiach—Jesus the Messiah or Jesus the Anointed One.
In Greek, Christ or Christos means the anointed one. Again, this is why you hear the Son of God referred to as Jesus Christ, or Jesus the Christ.
The Bible clearly tells us that Yeshua (Jesus) IS the Anointed One…
3 Bible Verses About the Messiah
- “The woman said to Him, ‘I know that Messiah is coming’ (who is called Christ). ‘When He comes, He will tell us all things.’ Jesus said to her, ‘I who speak to you am He.’”—John 4:25-26 (emphasis added)
- “He first found his own brother Simon, and said to him, ‘We have found the Messiah’ (which is translated, the Christ).”—John 1:41 (emphasis added)
- “And He was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah. And when He had opened the book, He found the place where it was written: ‘The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed; to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.’”—Luke 4:17-19 (emphasis added)
The Power of Jesus’ Anointing
The Bible is filled with prophecies about Jesus as the Anointed One. In Luke 4, Jesus quotes a prophecy about Himself from Isaiah, beginning with this declaration: “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me, because the Lord has anointed Me…” (Luke 4:18, emphasis added). The prophecy goes on to proclaim that He has been anointed to…
- Preach the gospel to the poor
- Heal the brokenhearted
- Proclaim liberty to the captives
- Bring recovery of sight to the blind
- Set at liberty those who are oppressed
- Proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord
- Comfort all who mourn
- Console those who mourn in Zion
- Give beauty for ashes
- Give the oil of joy for mourning
- Provide the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness
Do you see how powerful Jesus’ anointing is and the significance of all He came to do? These beautiful attributes of Jesus’ anointing were fulfilled in His first coming, are still being fulfilled today as hearts receive Him, and will find ultimate fulfillment in His second coming!
The Expectation of the Anointed One
The nation of Israel, the Jewish people, expected national deliverance from the Anointed One. At the time, they were enduring a devastating Roman occupation and desperately hoping for relief.
Luke 2:25-26 (AMP, emphasis added) reads,
- “Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; and this man was righteous and devout [carefully observing the divine Law], and looking for the Consolation of Israel; and the Holy Spirit was upon him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed).”
The Consolation of Israel is a powerful phrase. Jesus did come to console Israel, but not by overthrowing Rome. Simeon may have known this, but not everyone did. Jesus came to deliver Israel and the nations from sin and death and reconcile us to the Father, a far greater consolation than deliverance from human oppression. But many misunderstood His mission and turned away from Him.
This still happens to Jesus today. We often miss Him because He appears differently or with different intentions than we expect Him to. In this season of expectancy, may we pray our anticipation aligns with His heart so we can see and behold the fullness of Who Jesus is.
The Importance of Timing
Even John the Baptist may have been challenged to reconcile unmet expectations. While imprisoned, He sent word to ask Yeshua if He was the One that was to come.
Matthew 11:2-3 (AMP) reads,
- “Now when John [the Baptist] in prison heard about the activities of Christ, he sent word by his disciples and asked Him, ‘Are You the Expected One (the Messiah), or should we look for someone else [who will be the promised One]?’”
It’s surprising John asked this. What prompted Him to question Jesus after He had grown up with Him, seen His miracles, and prepared the way for Him? Was it the pain of his imprisonment? We can’t be certain, but again, the first coming of Jesus looked different than the Jewish people, maybe even John, anticipated. Israel longed for a conquering King, but in Jesus’ earthly ministry, He never formed a military.
Israel wasn’t wrong about desiring a messianic King. They were simply wrong about the timing. In His second coming, He will rule and reign from Jerusalem as King, overthrowing all human and demonic oppressors, and what a glorious day that will be!
It’s important to remember that many Jewish people did recognize the Messiah and devoted their whole lives to Him. Jesus is truly the Consolation of Israel and the consolation of all people who come to Him!
Celebrating the Messiah
So then, as we gather with family and friends this Christmas season, let us celebrate the Anointed One with great expectation.
Read about His birth, remember His promises, and anticipate His return…
The Birth of the Anointed One
We encourage you to pull out your Bible, meditate on and read about the birth of Jesus in the first two chapters of the gospels of Matthew and Luke.
Here’s part of Matthew 1 and 2 that tells us of Messiah’s birth…
“Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit. Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly. But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, ‘Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.’ So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: ‘Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,’ which is translated, ‘God with us.’ Then Joseph, being aroused from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and took to him his wife, and did not know her till she had brought forth her firstborn Son. And he called His name Jesus.”—Matthew 1:18-25
“‘Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, ‘Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.’
“When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. So they said to him, ‘In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet: “But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are not the least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you shall come a Ruler who will shepherd My people Israel.”‘
“Then Herod, when he had secretly called the wise men, determined from them what time the star appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, ‘Go and search carefully for the young Child, and when you have found Him, bring back word to me, that I may come and worship Him also.’
“When they heard the king, they departed; and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Then, being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country another way.”—Matthew 2:1-12
Celebrate your Redeemer, Deliverer, and King today. He is the Anointed One Who came to open prison doors and bind up broken hearts. He came to console all who mourn and bring beauty for ashes. May you receive the fullness of Who He is and declare the goodness of His salvation and the miracle of His birth!